The present invention relates generally to the processing of high-polymer materials and, more particularly, to the processing of high-polymer textile thread and sheet materials. Still more specifically, the present invention relates to the production of texturized and/or structurized threads, filaments and sheets made of high-polymer materials.
The production of texturized sheets from high-polymer materials, particularly textile sheet materials, is known from the prior art. This is accomplished by subjecting stationary or moving sheets to the influence of high energy radiation, preferably electron beam radiation. A mask, which is provided with suitable apertures, is interposed between the sheet and the radiation source. Thus, the irradiation is localized. Either before, or during, or after, or before and during, or before and after, or during and after, or before and during and after the localized irradiation, the sheet is treated with a medium such as hot water, saturated steam or a vinyl compound in liquid or gaseous phase. This medium, in conjunction with the effects of the localized irradiation, causes shrinkage of the sheet in those portions thereof which have been irradiated which is different from the shrinkage which occurs in those portions of the sheet which have not been subjected to the localized radiation. The result is a sheet which is texturized.
While it is basically possible to obtain a texturized sheet in accordance with the aforementioned prior-art approach, this approach has the disadvantage that the absorption of radiation by the mask causes it to become heated. This requires separate cooling of the mask, particularly when high energy radiation is used, which makes the entire construction rather complicated. Also, if the structural effects which it is desired to obtain are of a complicated nature, control of the movement of the mask is difficult to achieve, and an arrangement on such a basis is necessarily expensive and, in addition, is subject to breakdown and other difficulties.
Insofar as the texturizing of filaments or threads is concerned, it is known from the prior art to compose the filaments of materials having different shrink characteristics so that, when the filament has been subjected to shrinkage, the resultant different degrees of shrinkage of the various materials will provide a texturized effect. Here, however, there exists the clear disadvantage that it is necessary to utilize at least two components having different shrink characteristics to make the filaments.